New TCL smart TV sets released with Google TV (as Android TV heads out)

TCL revealed a line of Google TV devices this week to add to their already-significant collection of smart TV units with Roku or Android TV. They've revealed both pricing and availability for their first Google TV smart TV units across both "premium and award-winning 5- and 6-Series" lines. There are TCL 5-Series models with Google TV out on "presale" now, including 50, 55, 65, and 75-inch models. TCL 6-Series models with Google TV were put on presale today in 55 and 65-inch models, with a 75-inch model coming soon.

TCL 5-Series sets with Google TV work with 50, 55, 65, and 75-inch panels that all have the same amount of pixels. As such, you're getting the sharpest picture with the smallest set. In each set you'll get 3840 x 2160 pixels – that's UHD – with 1.07 billion display colors. Each set has DCI-P3 color as well as Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG, as well as Natural Motion 240.

Input on the 5-series includes Composite video and a mini 3.5mm audio connector (L&R audio in). There's also SPDIF Digital Audio Optical port, a standard headphone port, 3x HDMI ports (one of which has eARC), 1x USB 2.0, 1x ethernet port for internet, and 1x RF Input (NTSC, ATSC). These sets all come with the Google TV RC902N standard smart TV controller (that requires two AAA batteries). The 5-series

The whole 6-series TCL Google TV collection works with the same controller as the 5-Series, made specifically for Google TV. These units have most of the same ports as the 5-series, but HDMI is a bit different. You've got 4x HDMI ports, two with HDMI 2.1 support up to 4K/120Hz, one with eARC.

The differences between the 5 and 6-series is in the audio power, the quality of the display panel, and the availability of higher-end HDMI. The 6-series panels work with Natural Motion 480 and panel resolution at 3840 x 2160 (UHD) with 1.07 billion colors, DCI-P3 color, Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. Where the 5-series has a QLED panel, the 6-series has mini-LED QLED.

The 5-series has 8W + 8W and 15W + 15W audio power with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital+, and Dolby Digital. The 6-series has a base 15W + 15W audio power, maxed at 17W + 17W, with all the same Dolby audio plus DTS and PCM. The 6-series also has a THX Certified Game Mode – which we've yet to see in person, but suggests it'll be prepared to allow us to "never miss the action due to image smear, response time, or input lag."

The 5-series 50-inch set with Google TV has a starting price at around $700 USD through Best Buy. The smallest available 6-series set with Google TV is the 55-inch set, which has a starting price at around $1200 USD.